ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
J&K’s Corona testing capacity increased to over 350 samples per day: Dr.Jitendra Singh
Number of quarantine beds has increased nearly four times from 7,909 to 26,943.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh disclosed here today that the Jammu & Kashmir’s Corona testing capacity has increased to over 350 samples per day which is a major achievement because till about two to three weeks back, there was facility of testing hardly 50 samples a day.
After a detailed audio- interaction regarding Corona healthcare facilities in J&K, Dr Jitendra Singh lauded the Union Territory government of Jammu & Kashmir, particularly the health authorities, for bringing about a major upsurge in their Corona care and prevention capacity during the lockdown period. He complimented the health administration and the dedicated team of UT’s medical professionals. He also appreciated Financial Commissioner, Health, J&K, Atal Dulloo for his diligent follow up and close coordination with Central Government authorities.
Dr Jitendra Singh further explained that one of the reasons for faster detection in comparatively larger numbers is that earlier there was constraint of being able to send just about 50 samples a day for Corona, which has now increased seven to eight times within a few days.
Compared to many other States and Union Territories, Dr Jitendra Singh said, J&K has been faster in upgrading its health infrastructure to meet the sudden challenge that emerged in the form of Corona pandemic. For example, he said, the number of isolation beds has increased from 1533 to 2372 beds and there are 1689 additional beds in the pipeline.
While Jammu & Kashmir was among the first to set up dedicated COVID hospitals, the number of which has now increased to 17, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the number of ICU beds designated for COVID patients if required has also been increased from 25 to 209.
Allaying all apprehensions regarding the availability of Ventilators, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the designated Ventilators for possible Corona patients, which were earlier 46 in number till a few days ago are now 209 as of today. Similarly, the number of quarantine beds has increased nearly four times from 7,909 to 26,943.
Dr Jitendra Singh also credited the Union Territory Government for promptly following the various guidelines released from the Centre from time to time, whether it be in respect of setting up of Decontaminated Tunnels or the distribution of AYUSH drugs to boost immunity.
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Ministry of Heavy Industries
Centre take various steps for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles,
Under FAME-India Scheme, incentives provided to buyers of EVs in the form of an upfront reduction in the purchase price of EVs,
Incentive is linked to battery capacity; the incentive/ subsidies for e-2W increased to Rs. 15,000/KWh from Rs. 10,000/KWh
Government hastaken various initiatives forpromotion of electric vehicles in the country. These are as under:
 GST on electric vehicles has been reduced from 12% to 5%; GST on chargers/ chargingstations for electric vehicles has been reduced from 18% to 5%.
 Ministry of Power released a notification on charging infrastructure standards permittingprivate charging at residences and offices.
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways  announced thatbattery-operatedvehicles will be given green license plates and be exempted from permit requirements.
 MoRTH issued a notification advising states to waive road tax on EVs, which in turn willhelp reduce the initial cost of EVs.
 Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs  amended the Model Building Byelaws2016 to establish charging stations and infrastructure in private and commercial buildings.
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has informed that as per e-vahan portal, thedetails of electric vehicles registered in the country over the last two years is as under:
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Sl. No.
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Year
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No. of electric vehicles
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1.
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2019
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1,61,314
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2.
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2020
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1,19,648
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Total
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2,80,962
Ministry of Heavy Industries formulated a Scheme namely FasterAdoption and Manufacturing of  Electric Vehicles in India  Scheme in 2015 to promote adoption of electric/ hybrid vehicles  in the country. At present,Phase-II of FAME India Scheme is being implemented for a period of 5 years w.e.f.01stApril, 2019 with a total budgetary support of Rs. 10,000 crores. This phase focusses on supporting electrification of public & shared transportation and aims to support, throughsubsidies, 7090 e-Buses, 5 lakh e-3 Wheelers, 55000 e-4 Wheeler Passenger Cars and 10 lakhe-2Wheelers.
In addition, creation of charging infrastructure is also supported to address rangeanxiety among users of electric vehicles.
Under FAME-India Scheme, incentives are provided to buyers ofelectric vehicles in the form of an upfront reduction in the purchase price of electric vehicles.The incentive is linked to battery capacity i.e. Rs. 10,000/KWh for e-3W and e-4W with a cap 20% of the cost of vehicle. Further, the incentive/ subsidies for e-2W has been increased toRs. 15,000/KWh from Rs. 10,000/KWh with an increase in cap from 20% to 40% of the costof vehicle w.e.f. 11thJune, 2021.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Heavy Industries Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Women and Child Development
ASSISTANCE TO PREGNANT WOMEN
Under Supplementary Nutrition Programme of the Anganwadi Services Scheme, nutritional assistance is provided to the pregnant women and the new-born in all districts of the country including Aspirational Districts. As per the National Food Security Act, 2013 enacted by the Government, every pregnant woman and lactating mother is entitled to receive meals during pregnancy and six months after the child birth through the local Anganwadi so as to meet the nutritional standards specified in Schedule II of the Act. Further, it is provided in the Act that for children below the age of six months, exclusive breast feeding shall be promoted.
Accordingly, for children below 6 months of age, exclusive breastfeeding is promoted and under the Anganwadi Services of the Umbrella ICDS Scheme, Supplementary Nutrition is provided to pregnant women and lactating mothers in the form of Take Home Ration  at the Anganwadi Centers in accordance with the nutritional norms provided under Schedule II of the Act. The scheme is universal in nature and is implemented throughout the country.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
High level Central team deployed to review Medical Care and Public Health arrangements for Kumbh Mela at Haridwar
A high-level central team led by |Dr. S. K. Singh, Director, National Centre for Disease Control  with Dr. S. K. Jain Additional Director, and Dr. Meera Dhuria, Deputy Director both from NCDC as other team members has been deployed to Haridwar to review medical care and public health arrangements for Kumbh Mela, 2021.
Among others, the team will focus on the status of implementation of the Standard Operating Procedure  for the Kumbh Mela issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare  in the context of implementing preventive measures to contain spread of COVID- 19 during Kumbh Mela. This team will also review the implementation of its field level recommendations given to the State during its last visit, a month back.
Ministry of Micro,Small & Medium Enterprises
Khadi pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi with world’s largest Khadi National Flag displayed at Leh
Pride and patriotism, the collective spirit of Indian-ness and the heritage artisanal craft of Khadi, brought the nation together in saluting the world’s largest National Flag, made of Khadi cotton fabric today at Leh. Khadi and Village Industries Commission  has prepared the Monumental Khadi National Flag to pay the highest respects to Mahatma Gandhi, who gifted Khadi, the most eco-friendly fabric to the world.
The flag was unveiled by Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Shri RK Mathur, who said the Monumental National Flag would bind every Indian together with the patriotic spirit. Chairman KVIC Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, MP from Ladakh Shri JT Namgyal and Chief of Army Staff General MM Narawane were present on the occasion.
The Monumental National Flag measures 225 feet long, 150 feet wide and weighs  1400 kg. Making of this monumental National Flag has created nearly 3500 man hours of additional work for Khadi artisans and allied workers. A whopping 4600 meters of hand-spun, hand-woven Khadi cotton bunting has been used in making the flag which covers the total area of 33,750 square feet. The Ashok Chakra in the flag measures a diameter of 30 feet. It took 49 days for 70 Khadi artisans to prepare this flag.
KVIC has conceptualized and prepared the flag to celebrate “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”, the 75 years of Independence. Since, handling and displaying the National Flag of this dimension required utmost care and precision, KVIC has handed over the flag to the Indian Army. The Army has displayed the flag on a hilltop in the main Leh city. The Army has prepared a frame to display the flag so that it does not touch the ground.
The flag has been divided into 9 equal parts weighing 100 kg each and each part measures 50 x 75 feet. Nefa has been provided on all four sides that contains 12 mm rope. A total of 12 high quality nylon ropes - i.e. 3 ropes each on top & bottom sides and 3 ropes on left & right sides have been provided with the breaking load capacity of approx. 3000 Kgs.
Further, each rope has a loop on both the ends that can collectively hold the weight of the flag. These parts have been stitched together to make the flag and joints have been stitched in such way that the ropes inside the nefa will remain invisible. The inner lining of nefa is made of chemically coated Khadi bunting that reduces the friction from the ropes and prevent damage to the flag's fabric. Nefa has been provided in the tri-color so as to merge with the colors of the flag.
Ministry of Home Affairs
Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai attends two day conference to mark the 20th anniversary of United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crimes  at Palermo in Italy
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji has given a clarion call for international cooperation by saying, ‘When threats are global, the response cannot be just local’
India fully committed towards combating and uprooting organized crimes in all its manifestations
Organised crime signifies a major global threat, together we will tackle the challenges
Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai attended two day conference to mark the 20th anniversary of United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crimes  at Palermo in Italy. The Ministerial Conference is organised by the Government of Italy and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes  Secretariat.
Addressing a session on ‘Legal and Judicial Instruments, National Actions and Challenges’, Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai said that India’s ancient philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ - sees all creation as a family. We are One Earth, One Family, and we share One Future. Shri Nityanand Rai said that the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji has given a clarion call for international cooperation by saying, ‘When threats are global, the response cannot be just local’. The world has to come together to defeat these threats.
Minister of State for Home Affairs said that India expresses its strong commitment towards combating and uprooting organized crimes in all its manifestations. He said that organized crime signifies a major global threat. Advances in technology have been leveraged by organized criminals to rapidly expand their networks. This includes serious challenges posed by illicit trafficking in arms, drug trafficking, organized cyber crimes, human trafficking, corruption, money laundering and international dispersal of proceeds of crime.
Minister of State for Home Affairs said, organised crime cannot be seen in isolation. Organized crime has also emerged as one of the sources of terrorism and terror financing. Organized crime networks often have deep links with terrorist outfits. Activities like money laundering and financial crimes have been known to help terror funding. He expressed hope that the deliberations during the Ministerial Conference will give impetus to the cause of strengthening international cooperation to combat organized crime.
IFSC Authority
International Financial Services Centres Authority  Regulations, 2022
International Financial Services Centres Authority , has notified a comprehensive regulatory framework for Investment Funds in the official gazette on April 19, 2022.
The salient features of the regulations includes:
 Registering the Fund Management Entity: A Fund Management Entity will be registered with IFSCA and will be able to manage different types of funds and schemes subject to meeting the eligibility criteria.
 Green Channel: Venture Capital Schemes or non-retail schemes soliciting money from accredited investors only shall qualify for a green channel i.e. the schemes filed can open for subscription by investors immediately upon filing with IFSCA. The requirements on scheme size, number of investors, permissible investments, etc. have been detailed in the regulations.
 Exchange Traded Funds : Considering that ETFs offer a means to gain exposure to specific markets or asset classes at a low cost, registered fund managers in IFSC shall be able to launch not just Index based ETFs but also Active ETFs and Commodity based ETFs.
 Stressed Assets: Realising the important role of IFSC in the Government initiative of addressing the issue of NPAs faced by banks, a framework has been prescribed for special situation funds to be launched by fund managers in IFSC.
 Environment Social Governance : Growing number of investors expect fund managers to make ESG issues integral to their investment strategies. With the intent of making IFSC a hub for a host of activities related to sustainable finance, disclosures have been proposed to be mandated at the entity level and scheme level.
 Family Office: Globally, there is an increasing need for having a formal structure for managing and preserving the wealth of the High Networth Individuals  and Ultra HNIs and their families. Accordingly, a framework to facilitate a self-managed investment fund of a family office has been provided in the regulations.
 The regulations also provide support for various innovations in a controlled way:
a. Fund Lab: The fund managers may try new strategies in a controlled manner and build a track record for their fund.
b. Special purpose vehicle  as a co-investment structure and leverage: FME shall be permitted to create SPVs under the main scheme to enable undertaking co-investment or leverage along with the Fund/ scheme subject to certain conditions.
c. Retail participation in private markets: There has been a growing need to facilitate investors at large to invest in private markets. Accordingly, it is proposed to facilitate retail close ended schemes to invest in unlisted securities subject to certain conditions.
In addition to the above, the regulations detail the role of various entities, prescribe code of conduct, advertisement code, investment valuation norms and important governance requirements, including the substance requirement. The regulations are available on IFSCA’s website for reference.
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
Cabinet approves between India and Morocco on India-Morocco cooperation in Renewable Energy
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding  between India and Morocco on India-Morocco Cooperation in Renewable Energy. The MoU was signed on 10th April, 2018 in New Delhi.
Both sides aim to establish the basis for a cooperative institutional relationship to encourage and promote technical bilateral cooperation on new and renewable energy issues on the basis of mutual benefit, equality and reciprocity. The MoU envisages establishing a Joint Working Committee to review, monitor and discuss matters relation to areas of cooperation. The MoU aims for exchange of expertise and networking of information.
The MoU will help in strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Prime Minister's Office
PM remembers Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh on his birth anniversary
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has paid tributes to Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh on his birth anniversary.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister said;
"Remembering Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh on his birth anniversary. His rich understanding of rural India and agriculture is reflected in his works. He was also an outstanding thinker."
Ministry of Tourism
Cabinet approves MoU between India and Uzbekistan for strengthening cooperation in the field of Tourism
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Memorandum of Understanding  between India and Uzbekistan for strengthening cooperation in the field of Tourism. The MoU will be signed during the VIP visit from Uzbekistan to India on 1st October 2018.
Benefits:
Signing of the MoU in the field of Tourism will help the two countries in creating an institutional mechanism for enhancing cooperation in the tourism sector. It will also help in increasing foreign tourist arrivals from Uzbekistan to the country. This in turn will result in economic development and employment generation. The MoU shall create favourable conditions for long-term tourism cooperation for the mutual benefits of all stakeholders within the broader framework and areas of cooperation. In addition, the MoU shall explore to incorporate the best practices in order to implement the measures that will realizes the objectives set out in it.
Ministry of Electronics & IT
MoS Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar to visit Meghalaya on two-day official trip
Will Interact with students, business leaders & local officials
The Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar will be leaving for Meghalaya tomorrow on a two-day official visit.
The Minister will arrive at Guwahati and will thereafter proceed to Shillong.
His first engagement in Shillong is a visit to the skill development centre operated by the Rama Krishna Mission. This would be followed by a meeting with members of the local business community during which he will discuss about prospects and challenges.
He will then hold meetings with state party president, office bearers, senior party leaders and karyakartas of the state.
The Minister will later meet social workers and discuss about the local issues and problems.
On Friday, the Minister will be addressing a gathering of women at Mawprem and then visit the Church of North India.
Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar will also be meeting the Secretary, Skill Development, Meghalaya and discuss about the skill development programmes being undertaken in the state.
At the end of the day, the Minister will engage with the local media in an interactive session.
This is Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar’s fourth visit to the North eastern region. as Union minister. Earlier, he had visited Nagaland  and Tripura and had inaugurated over ten National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology, a software technology park and a pilot project for Upskilling Bamboo artisans.
The Minister will return to New Delhi, on the evening of January 13, 2023.
Election Commission
Meeting of Union Home Secretary with Election Commission
Election Commission of India held an interactive meeting with Union Home Secretary Shri Ajay Bhalla, at Nirvachan Sadan on 12th January, 2021 .
The meeting was primarily to discuss requirement vis-à-vis availability of Central Armed Police Forces , and related matters, for the upcoming Assembly Elections to the States of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
During the 8 years period from 2016 to 2023 , Delhi registers its best air quality during current year
Delhi reports its lowest Daily Average AQI during current year compared to the corresponding period for last 7 years
2023 has seen the lowest levels of daily average PM2.5 concentration and lowest levels of daily average PM10 concentration
Delhi witnesses the highest number of ‘Good’ to ‘Moderate’ Air Quality days  during the current year
For the periods between January – May , Delhi registers its best air quality during current year .
As per Air Quality Index  data of the Central Pollution Control Board , Delhi has reported its lowest Average AQI during current year compared to the corresponding period for the last 07 years i.e. from 2016 . A comparative chart depicting the Average AQI for the first five months period  during the 08 years  is given below:
In terms of daily average PM2.5 concentration levels, 2023 has seen the lowest levels of daily average PM2.5 concentration, as compared to the corresponding period for last 07 years i.e. from 2016 . Moreover, 2023 has been the year with lowest levels of daily average PM10 concentration in Delhi, as compared to the corresponding period for last 07 years i.e. from 2016 .
A comparative chart depicting the PM10 and PM2.5 running average  for the first five months period  during the 08 years  is given below:
Delhi has witnessed maximum number of ‘Good’ to ‘Moderate’ Air Quality Days during the first five months period of 2023, as compared to the corresponding period of last 07 years since 2016 . A comparative chart for days with ‘Good to Moderate’ AQI witnessed for the first five months period during the 08 years  is depicted below:
The number of ‘Good’ to ‘Moderate’ Air Quality Days for the first five months period  was 15 in the year 2016; 36 in 2017; 44 in 2018; 59 in 2019; 98 in 2020; 59 in 2021; 37 in 2022; and 74 in the current year 2023.
During this period, Delhi has also experienced least number of days with ‘Poor’ to ‘Severe’ Air Quality in 2023, as compared to the corresponding period of last 07 years since 2016 . The number of ‘Poor’ to ‘Severe’ Air Quality Days for the first five months period  have come down by 42.10% i.e. from 133 in the year 2016 to 77 in the current year 2023.